Midnight
by ItstheCap
Summary: A late-night text, unknown outcomes. Amazing sights arise as the day falls and love takes flight, on the journey to explore the universe. [Infidget one-shot]


**Much much MUCH thanks to my dear friend Reciprocate for beta-reading and offering feedback to improve this one-shot! Please consider checking out some of his works, he is a kind person and an incredible writer and deserves _so_ much love!**

**Also to avoid confusion, Infinite is called Neo, and Gadget/Buddy/Avatar is Atlas.**

* * *

A whiff of the night air, followed by a rasp.

Dust.

A sigh. Even now, long after the war has ended, the dust from the rubble has yet to settle. The occasional breeze doesn't help much, but it is quite refreshing to the touch. He has often contemplated getting some kind of mask but ultimately decided against it.

Struggling to keep yawns at bay, the wolf checks his watch.

Close to midnight.

He blinks, wiping away the sands that gather at the corners of his eyes. He still hardly remembers why he's up on the rooftop of his apartment.

A late-night text message.

Once more, the wolf checks his phone for the message that woke him from his slumber, his reminder.

"Rooftop. Midnight."

He tugs at his white scarf that rests snugly around his damp neck. Perhaps he should consider taking this off more often. Then again, it was a gift to him, and it also eases his insomnia, so there's a scale.

Tapping the tip of his sneakers against the roof, it nearly blocks out the sound of another pair of shoes landing behind him. The wolf turns, and standing there is the one he has been waiting for. A lone sapphire eye greets him, a smirk boasting strong canines, in addition to the aura of confidence circling the short-haired jackal in question. Not even the loss of half his sight has dampened down the fire that burns within.

His question is simple. "Ready?"

Atlas' face glows, and he's not quite sure if it has to do with the humidity. With a deep breath, he smiles and nods. The jackal removes his hands from his jacket, circling his partner and leaning into him from behind, a gentle embrace, followed by a tightening grip.

Atlas loses his breath, leaving it behind as the jackal takes off into the sky, holding onto his passenger with strength like steel. His body tense, all he can do is hold onto the arms wrapped tight around his body as if his whole life depended on it. The height at which they rise is quite frightening for someone who has only been so high once before.

It is almost like a dream he's had before, only it turned out to be a nightmare as he fell through a war-torn sky, tumbling with no hope for slowing down.

He shakes his head, he knows now is the _least_ appropriate time to recall such a dream.

Instead, he concentrates on the point in his back that comes into contact with the Phantom Ruby, cracked and faded from overuse by Eggman in the past. It isn't nearly as strong as it used to be, but when handled correctly can still be quite dangerous.

It puts his mind at ease to know the wielder of said ruby is on his side.

Soon, high above the clouds, the two have a view rare to behold: the whole world, basking in the light of a full moon. The city lights grow smaller and grouped together, and smaller lights appearing like stars indicate tiny homes away from the crowded city life. Mountains, almost like hills, roll along in the distance, the shadow of every tree visible to them. The world seems to have changed tones to dark and blue.

Neo's grasp has not faltered in the slightest, not even to make an adjustment, making Atlas forget about the fear of falling. He zones out as if it were an out-of-body experience, completely awestruck.

A breath of awe escapes his lips, a sound detectable by his jackal boyfriend carrying him. "Having fun?"

Mouth agape, the wolf can barely formulate intelligent thoughts. "It's...so...amazing…!"

Even though the wind is blowing all around him, Atlas is still tickled by the hum trapped within the jackal's throat.

* * *

"So is _this_ why you decided to wake me up late at night?"

The two are now back on the ground, laying side by side together in an empty grassland far away, where no light pollution of the big cities can reach, and the entire universe is open to their eyes. Distant galaxies are so clear yet just out of reach. The tall grass tickles at their sides, threatening a sneeze from a certain wolf, but it subsides.

The jackal smirks. "Ever the genius, aren't you?"

This entices a laugh. Always the one to tease, at least some things never change. With all the change that has happened in recent times, it's understandable why he would want to keep some old traits.

Atlas curiosity peaks as he tugs at his scarf a bit. "So how did you get out? I've heard G.U.N.'s supposed to be heavily protected now." All he hears in response is a simple and near-silent tap-tap. He glances, able to see Neo's finger resting atop the Phantom Ruby. "Ah..."

"Nice scarf."

He stops playing with the cloth for a moment, rosy cheeks blossoming as he releases a small giggle.

Neo just smiles and leans back, scratching at his own white fur that rests around his neck and enjoying the sight of the starry night sky. Atlas joins him, and the two sit in silence together.

"It's too damn hot here." Neo randomly complains.

Atlas can't even argue, not with him constantly pulling at Neo's old scarf.

"Makes me miss the desert a bit."

Atlas turns his head to peer at Neo through the grass. "Really?"

Neo shrugs. There is a short pause, one filled with a deep exhale from the jackal. "But I can live with it."

"Oh?"

Now Neo turns to face the wolf. "As long as you're here to suffer with me."

Atlas chuckles. "Was that an attempt at a compliment…?"

"Don't push your luck."

The wolf can't help but roll his eyes, laying back again as his eyes once more gravitate towards the sky. Though being the cheeky wolf he is, he can't resist reaching over to take hold of the jackal's hand, interlocking fingers. Neo quietly reciprocates the action.

"I just remembered something." Atlas speaks up. "You told me before you saw something when you first came into contact with the ruby?"

"Yes, the Phantom Ruby shows one their deepest desire upon initial contact," Neo explains. "The first time I touched it, I saw a world wiped out, barren, nothing left. Back then, that used to be what I secretly wanted more than anything."

Atlas, a little too stunned for words, simply blanks out, trying to process what he has just heard. He is still in the dark as to his partner's past, leaving him with many questions, but he chooses to respect his space and give him time before he opens up about such matters.

"But _now_…" Neo continues, "I see something new, something that's not an illusion."

The wolf looks back over. "And what is it you see?"

Looking at him, Neo's smirk turns into a smile, genuine and heartfelt. "You."

Atlas feels his heart skip a beat, his blush like a strawberry and a smile bright, left utterly speechless. Neo takes advantage of this silence, pulling the wolf closer until he can wrap his arm around his side, then leaning in, eye closed, to plant his lips on the wolf's.

Chills rattle Atlas' body, as they do every other time his partner kisses him, and he responds with a kiss back, the two enjoying each other's company under a beautiful midnight canvas of stars.

* * *

**A/N: Hehe, hi everyone! I'm back at writing! Granted, quite rusty, but back to writing! I made this little one-shot as a submission for a monthly prompt in a server dedicated to the Infidget ship. The theme of the prompt was "Summer Nights" and was a little bit of a challenge x3. Go check out the Infidget Week twitter page, they'll be retweeting a lot of stuff regarding anything Infidget in the coming weeks!**

**If you have any comments or feedback about the fic, please leave a review! It helps out with improving my writing and my motivation.**

**ALSO for those who normally read my other fics, I left an update on my profile so pls be sure to check that out too if you want to know a status update of NMW.**


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